Teens accused of planning deadly robbery while riding school bus

By:
Kerry Kavanaugh

Updated: Feb 15, 2013 - 6:48 PM

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Teens accused of planning deadly robbery while riding school bus

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Channel 2 Action News was in court on Friday when a detective testified the suspects charged in connection to the murder of a 14-year-old admitted to planning to rob him for his shoes.

The detectives said the Grayson High School students planned the robbery while riding the school bus.

Police said Larnell Sillah, 15, and Achiel Morgan, 15, along with Romaine Stewart, 18, were in court on Friday for the preliminary hearing.

"He wanted to rob him, that he wanted his shoes," testified Detective Andrew Whaley. "And they were going to do it. The plan was devised that they would get him as he was going to his residence."

But police said they didn't know where Sampleton lived.

Two days before he was killed, the detective testified the trio arranged to hang out with him.

Police said Morgan and Stewart admitted their role. They said they followed Sampleton home to get his address.

Morgan and Stewart are charged with armed robbery.

Sillah is charged with murder. Investigators said the robbery was his idea.

"There's certainly not enough to take this case to trial," said Sillah's defense attorney, Tom West.

He doesn't believe there's any physical evidence connecting him to Sampleton's home.

Police said Sillah's cellphone hit a nearby cell tower the day of the crime. They also said they found a pair of stolen sneakers at his home.

"Shoes were located in the garage," Whaley testified.

But police said Sillah's uncle lived in that garage.

They said that uncle also owns a silver BMW which was spotted in the neighborhood the day of the murder. At this point, that uncle faces no charges.

The judge ruled that all of the cases will be bound over to Superior Court.

All three suspects are charged as adults. Their attorneys unsuccessfully attempted to get the charges against them dismissed.

"He's obviously scared, he's 15. At the proper time we're going to object to him being treated as an adult," West said of Sillah's mental state.